The present invention relates to devices, methods and products for removing wrinkles and smoothing fabric, especially articles of clothing, linens and draperies.
Removal of wrinkles by the time-honored technique of pressing wrinkled fabrics or clothing calls for an ironing board and a hot iron to remove the wrinkles. While this method certainly works, it can be not only potentially damaging to the wrinkled fabrics or clothing, but also to the user. The risk of injury, to young children, let alone skilled adult users, is further compounded by the ever-present risk of fire from a neglected iron. Even an iron that has been turned off presents significant risk of injury to an inattentive or unaware individual. A stored cold iron is another risk of injury to the unwary.
Furthermore, different fabrics require different temperatures to smooth and de-wrinkle. For example, the heat required to smooth and de-wrinkle a polyester garment, would prove ineffective on a similar cotton garment. Conversely, the heat required to smooth and de-wrinkle a cotton garment would damage or even destroy a similar polyester garment. Potential traps for the unwary abound. For example, a cotton shirt may be damaged because the heat needed to iron the shirt is sufficient to melt the polyester thread used to affix an emblem to the shirt. Likewise, time is wasted while an iron is cooling after ironing heavy fabric, such as denim, for its subsequent safe use on another fabric, say, polycotton or rayon.
Many alternatives have been suggested to this time-honored technique of pressing wrinkled fabrics or clothing. Various methods of de-wrinkling and smoothing have been suggested, such as, smoothing by hand, steam de-wrinkling devices, fogging cabinets, and techniques using tension or stretching devices in combination with aqueous solutions. While smoothing by hand eliminates the risk to both the user and the fabric from heat, it is laborious, time consuming and difficult to reproduce results comparable to those obtained from a convention iron. Steam de-wrinkling devices can produce results comparable to a conventional iron, but they have similar safety issues to conventional irons and may not be suitable for all fabric types. Fogging devices and techniques using tension or stretching in combination with aqueous solutions employing apparatus that entail a substantial financial outlay and produce results that can be obtained for far less cost with a conventional iron.
Another alternative is de-wrinkling by ultrasonics. Ultrasonics has been used in irons in two ways. In the first, an ultrasonic wave is generated in a metal body that is bonded to a second metal body. The resulting movement of one metal body against another generates friction and consequently heat, which can be then used to remove wrinkles by otherwise conventional pressing techniques. While this system provides instant heat at the desired temperature, it also suffers from the problems associated with conventional irons, namely safety and fiber damaging heat that can scorch, xe2x80x9cshinexe2x80x9d or flatten the fabric. A second way is to generate an ultrasonic wave in a metal body and to move the body over a fabric in such a way as to create friction between the metal body and the fabric sufficient to generate enough heat to iron the fabric. Alternatively, the fabric is moved between a hammer, in which an ultrasonic wave is generated, and an anvil. The movement of the fabric relative to the hammer and anvil generate sufficient friction between the hammer, anvil and fabric to heat the fabric and remove wrinkles. Again, this is problematic in that heat is used which could damage the fiber by scorching, shining or flattening the fabric. The need for the user to constantly exert pressure means the potential need exists to repeatedly pass the fabric through the hammer/anvil apparatus because insufficient pressure has been exerted to generate sufficient heat to remove the wrinkles in a single pass.
Accordingly, there remains a need for a way of smoothing and de-wrinkling fabric that does not use fiber-damaging heat that scorches shines or flattens the fabric.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,094,021, issued Mar. 10, 1992; U.S. Pat. No. 4,928,611, issued May 29, 1990; U.S. Pat. No. 4,823,713, issued Apr. 25, 1989; RU Application No. 2083745C1 published Jul. 10, 1997; JP Application No. 9-308516, published Dec. 2, 1997; JP Application No. 59-9281, published Jan. 18, 1984; and JP Application No. 45-13193, published May 13, 1970.
The present invention relates to a product, device and method for smoothing and de-wrinkling fabric which does not use fiber damaging heat which scorches shines or flattens the fabric, is suitable for use on all fabric types and can even be used to smooth and de-wrinkle fabrics while they are worn by the user.
In accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, a method for smoothing and de-wrinkling a discrete fabric item is provided. The method comprises the steps of applying to the wrinkled area of the fabric item an effective amount of an ultrasonic transmission fluid and concurrent with or subsequent to the application of the ultrasonic transmission fluid, applying a source of ultrasonic energy to the ultrasonic transmission fluid, wherein the source of ultrasonic energy is applied in a manner which avoids fiber-damaging heat which could scorch, shine or flatten fabric.
In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, a method for smoothing and de-wrinkling a discrete fabric item is provided. The method comprises at least the steps of: (A) applying to the wrinkled area of the discrete fabric item a quantity of an ultrasonic transmission fluid which is from about 1% to about 200% the dry weight of the wrinkled area of the discrete fabric item; and (B) concurrently with or subsequently to step (i) applying a source of ultrasonic energy to the ultrasonic transmission fluid, wherein the source of ultrasonic energy is applied in a manner which avoids fiber-damaging heat which could scorch, shine or flatten fabric.
In accordance with a third aspect of the present invention, a discrete fabric item smoothing de-wrinkling product is provided. The product which smoothes and de-wrinkles discrete fabric item without using fiber damaging heat which could scorch, shine or flatten discrete fabric item comprises:
(a) ultrasonic transmission fluid, comprising an ultrasonic carrier and, optionally, an ultrasonic adjuvant;
(b) an ultrasonic wave generating source for imparting ultrasonic waves onto wrinkles in the discrete fabric item; and
(c) instructions for using the product comprising the steps of:
(i) applying an effective amount of said ultrasonic transmission fluid to the wrinkles; and
(ii) imparting ultrasonic waves to the wrinkles using the ultrasonic source in a manner that avoids fiber-damaging heat that could scorch, shine or flatten fabric.
Surprisingly, it has now been discovered that the present invention provides a wholly unexpected benefit beyond that of smoothing wrinkled fabrics. All fabrics are made from threads that, themselves, are comprised of macrofibers. After repeated wearing and laundering, such macrofibers begin to disassociate and form so-called microfibrils. This is especially true with cellulosics, such as, cotton, but can also occur with other natural, synthetic and blended fabrics. Once formed, these microfibrils form a type of haze on the fabrics that tends to dull the brightness of dyes. As a result, the fabrics look old dull and xe2x80x9cwashed-outxe2x80x9d.
In accordance with a fourth aspect of the present invention, a process for restoring the appearance of fabrics is provided. The method, which restores the appearance of fabrics by removing and/or restoring microfibrils to the macrofibers of a fabric article, comprises the steps of:
(a) applying an effective amount of an ultrasonic transmission fluid to the fabrics; and
(b) imparting sonic or ultrasonic waves to the fabrics in a manner which avoids fiber-damaging heat which could scorch, shine or flatten fabric;
wherein the fabrics contains from about 1% to about 200% the dry weight of the fabrics of ultrasonic transmission fluid.
In accordance with a fifth aspect of the present invention, a product for restoring the appearance of fabrics is provided. The product which restores the appearance of fabrics by removing and/or restoring microfibrils to the macrofibers of a fabric article, comprises:
(a) ultrasonic transmission fluid, comprising an ultrasonic carrier and, optionally, an ultrasonic adjuvant;
(b) an ultrasonic wave generating source for imparting ultrasonic waves onto the fabrics; and
(c) instructions for using the product comprising the steps of:
(i) applying an effective amount of an ultrasonic transmission fluid to the fabrics; and
(ii) imparting ultrasonic waves to the fabrics using the ultrasonic source in a manner that avoids fiber-damaging heat that could scorch, shine or flatten fabric.
In accordance with a sixth aspect of the present invention, an ultrasonic de-wrinkling apparatus is provided. The ultrasonic de-wrinkling apparatus comprises, a plate; ultrasonic means attached to the plate for generating ultrasonic waves in the plate; a housing attached to the plate having handle means for grasping the housing and moving the housing and the plate on the fabric; and means to prevent the generation of heat in the plate by the moving of the plate on the fabric.
In accordance with a seventh aspect of the present invention, a discrete fabric item smoothing de-wrinkling product is provided. The product which smoothes and de-wrinkles discrete fabric item without using fiber damaging heat which could scorch, shine or flatten discrete fabric item comprises:
(a) ultrasonic transmission fluid, comprising an ultrasonic carrier and, optionally, an ultrasonic adjuvant;
(b) ultrasonic de-wrinkling apparatus comprising, a plate; ultrasonic means attached to the plate for generating ultrasonic waves in the plate; a housing attached to the plate having handle means for grasping the housing and moving the housing and the plate on the fabric; and means to prevent the generation of heat in the plate by the moving of the plate on the fabric; and
(c) instructions for using the product comprising the steps of:
(i) applying an effective amount of said ultrasonic transmission fluid to the wrinkles; and
(ii) imparting ultrasonic waves to the wrinkles using the ultrasonic de-wrinkling apparatus in a manner that avoids fiber-damaging heat that could scorch, shine or flatten fabric.
As used herein, the phrase xe2x80x9csmoothing and de-wrinklingxe2x80x9d means to significantly reduce unevenness on the surface of an object that is caused by the cleaning or use of a fabric or garments.
As used herein, the phrase xe2x80x9cscorchxe2x80x9d fabric, means to burn slightly so as to change color of, shrivel or parch the fabric.
As used herein, the phrase xe2x80x9cshinexe2x80x9d fabric means to make bright, glossy or polish by reducing the height or depth of the fibers in the fabric article; by reorientation of the fibers in such a fashion as to increase reflectance of light from the fabric in a specific direction; or by changing the shape, and consequently the visual properties of the fibers, by partially melting the macrofibers.
As used herein, the phrase xe2x80x9cflattenxe2x80x9d fabric means to reduce the height or depth of the fibers in the fabric article to an extent that the reduction in height or depth is perceivable visually as such; the fabric has been visually reduced in depth; or the fabric has a less diffuse reflectance as compared to the untreated fabric.
As used herein, the phrase xe2x80x9cultrasonic wavesxe2x80x9d means mechanical pressure or stress waves that can propagate through any material media, wherein the frequency spectra of these waves can vary from a few cycles/second (Hz) to a few billion Hz.
These and other aspects, features and advantages will be seen to those of ordinary skill in the art from a reading of the following detailed description and the appended claims. All percentages, ratios and proportions herein are by weight, unless otherwise specified. All temperatures are in degrees Celsius (xc2x0 C.) unless otherwise specified. All documents cited are, in relevant part, incorporated herein by reference.